Apparatus relating to the manufacture of artificial filaments, threads, and the like



Oct. 21, 1930. H. J. HEGAN T AL 1,779,313

APPARATUS RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF'ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS,AND THE LIKE' Filed Feb. 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l JV 1 T lf 2) l1 1 J5l\ E L\l\\\ v/ I J p A F F F r G 7/ g //v1//v 70/76:- floma: 1144156f/EGA/V and Eon/Am b91254 E r by their Arnmeys Oct. 21, 1930. I J HEGANET AL 1,779,313

' APPARATUS RELATING To THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS,THREADS, AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3.

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Patented Oct. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES HORACE JAMES BEGAN, OF LYNWOOD,ANDV' EDWARD HAZELEY, OFSOUTH VIEW,

PATENT OFFICE ENGLAND, ASSIG-NORS '10 COURTAULDS LIMITED, OF LONDON,ENGLAND APPARATUS RELATING To THE MANUFACTURE or ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS,THREADS,

AND THE LIKE Application filed February 25, 1928, Serial No.

In the manufacture of artificial threads, filaments, and the like by thebox spinning process, it is usual to pbass the thread after leaving thespinning ath into a rapidly rotated box, the thread coiling itselfagainst the Wall of the said box, forming an annular ring or cake,hereinafter referred to as cake. The cake of thread so formed stillcontains some of the contents of the spinning bath, which has beencarried along by the thread, and in the further treatment of the threadit is necessary to remove these contents by washing or other means, andhitherto ithas been customary to reel the, thread from the cakesintoskeins, and then subject theskeins to a washing treatment. It'has alsoalready beenproposed in the manufacture of artificialisilk or the liketo Wash the massof threadwhile it is still in the centrifugal apparatusin which the thread is collected. It has further been proposed totransfer the cake from the box in which it has been collected to aportable carrier, which is then placed on a spindle and rotated rapidly,while washing liquid is introduced into the centre of the cake and isforced by centrifugal force through the cake, thus subjecting the saidcake to a washing process. It has also been proposed to allow water orother liquid to pass down the guiding funnel into the spinning box atthe same time that the newly spun thread is being passed through thesaid funnel into the said box.

The present invention relates to an improved apparatus in which theartificial thread, after it has been passed into the spinning box, andthus obtained in the form of cake, is subjected to a treatment withliquid while itis still in the form of the cake, and while the said cakeis being rotated at a high speed. The cake may either be treated withliquid in the same box in which the thread is collected, or after thecake has been formed it can be transferred to another box for thepurpose of treating with liquid, while the first box is employedforthwith for the collection of further thread to form another cake. Thetreatment with liquid may be for the purpose of washing the cake,

257,023, and in Great Britain April 21, 1927. i

in which case the liquid employed would preferably be water, but ourinvention also applies to other treatment of the cake with liquid, forinstance, for removing sulphur from the yarn, or for bleaching, dyeingor soaping the yarn.

According to the present invention, pervious means are provided whichsupport the lower surface of the cake and which also al low the treatingliquid to pass between the bottomof the box and the lower surface of thecake. For instance, a layer of pervious material such as wire gauze,thick coarse cloth or corrugated non-corrosive material, may beinterposed between the bottom of the box and the lower layer of the cake'before the Washing or other treatment is commenced. Or the said meansfor allowing the treating liquid to pass between the'bottom of the boxand the lowersurface of the cake may be constructed as an integral partof the box;,for example, the part of the box" on which ,the cake restsmay be provided with -a knurled or, pyramidical surface;

' \Vhen employing A the means l according *to the present invention-forwashing acak'e, the

timerequired for removing thechemicals of the splnmng bath, for example,all traces of acid from a cake of viscose silk, is 'very' considerablyshortened. r

When carrying out the said' treatment with liquid' according to thisinvention, it is generally preferred'to introducethe water orothertreating'liqu-id in theyform of a spray, forinstancethrough a-sprayingnozzle, ifdesired, employing compressed airto assist inspraying theliquid. Furth'er, the spraying nozzle may be attached to atraverse, orits equivalent, so that the nozzle can be -moved up and down inside theannular' cake, and in some casesit :is useful to allow thenozzletodescend to a point'below, say hal'f-an-inch below, the lowest level':ofthe said cake. It is, however, notalways necessary to cause the-nozzleto ascend and descend inside the cake, since eifective treate 'ment canbe carried out by means ofastationarynozzle, provided the sprayedliquidfrom the said". nozzle adequately reaches all parts of the cake and alsopasses underneath Fill) the cake between the said cake and the bottom ofthe box. If desired two or more stationary nozzles can be situatedinside one box, in order to carry out an effective spray ing of thecake.

If it be desired to treat the cake with liquid according to thisinvention in the same box in which the thread has been collected, themeans for allowing the treating liquid to pass between the bottom of thebox and the lower surface of the cake may be present in the box whilethe collection of the thread proceeding.

The box should be provided with suitable means to allow the treatingliquid to escape, for which purpose it is generally preferred toperforate the wall of the box with a number of small holes.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2 and 3 shew invertical section three different examples of methods for carrying outthis invention in practice, but the invention is not restricted thereto.In each of the arrangements shewn, A represents the box, B the lid ofthe box, C the cake of thread and N the small holes in the wall of thebox, while L represents the tube supplying the water or other treatingliquid to the nozzle or nozzles M. In Figures 1 and 3 the tube Lcarrying the nozzle M is preferably provided with reciprocating means,not shewn in the drawings, so that the nozzle M ascends and descendsduring the process of washing or the like. In Figure 2 the spraying iseffected by means of two nozzles M of the fish tail type attached to thesaid tube L, and in this case the liquid is sprayed to such an extentthat the whole of the cake is adequately treated without any traversemotion of the nozzle being necessary. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the boxshown in Fig. 3 with the cake removed, the figure being taken on theline (1-?) of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

In Figure 1, the means shewn for separating the cake G from the bottomof the box A consists of an annular disc D of ebonite or the likeprovided on its under surface with studs E, of which there may be forexample two rows, the upper surface of the disc D being provided withradial grooves.

In Figure 2, the cake C is separated from the bottom of the box A bymeans of an annular disc of wire gauze F, the outer and innerperipheries of which may conveniently be held in position by wrappinground an inner and outer wire ring H and G. The gauze F and the wirerings H and G are made of non-corrosive material, such for instance asthe metal sold under the registered trade mark of Monel metal.

Figure 3 shows a box A in which the surface on which the cake C restsis, by means of. pressing or cutting a suitable plate or the like,covered with small pyramids K,

shewn in plan in Figure l, which allow the water or other treatingliquid to pass beneath the cake C.

What we claim is 1. Apparatus for the treatment with liquid of a cakewith artificial filaments, said apparatus comprising a rotatable box andpervious means for supporting the lower surface of the cake and forallowing the treating liquid to pass between the bottom of the box andthe lower surface of the cake.

2. Apparatus for the treatment with liquid of a cake of artificialfilaments, said apparatus comprising a rotatable box and a nozzledepending in said box adapted to spray liquid on the cake, incombination with pervious means for supporting the lower surface of thecake and for allowing the treating liquid to pass between the bottom ofthe box and the lor-Jer surface of the cake.

3. Apparatus for the treatment with liquid of a cake of artificialfilaments, said apparatus comprising a rotatable box and nozzle meansdepending in said box adapted to introduce liquid in the form of a sprayand simultaneously introduce compressed air to assist the spray, incombination with pervicus means for supporting the lower surface of thecake and for allowing the treating liquid to pass between the bottom ofthe box and the lower surface of the cake.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

HORACE JAMES HEGAN. EDI/VARD HAZELEY.

